Another day, another pellet victim recounts tale of horror

 

He was laid over the hospital bed, never expecting such an ordeal. Nineteen year old, Sameer Ahmad Dar, who remains admitted at the SMHS, after being hit by pellets in a fresh bout of protests, has a blurred vision. He has lost the hope of regaining the one and the family has already been witness to the excesses and “ hooliganism’’ of government forces.

Sameer’s both eyes have been damaged after he was showered with the pellets by the security forces in South Kashmir.  Hailing from Hassanpora area of Arwani village in South Kashmir, Sameer is battling to regain his vision at the Ophthalmology ward of the hospital.

“His both eyes have been damaged due to pellets and he is left with on ly few percent vision. But if treatment here didn’t go  properly, he may lose the vision,” said Shakeela Bano,  his aunt.

 “As he was admitted here on the first day, the doctors immediately operated upon him and conducted his eye surgery but so far there has been no improvement,” Shakeela told Kashmir Vision at the hospital adding, “ the doctors have not told anything about his discharge from the hospital which means his situation is critical..’’

Narrating the scene of Friday, Shakeela said Sameer had gone for the Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Hassanpora, the mosque that lies few meters away from his home, and after finishing with the prayers he was  rained with pellets without any provocation.

“There were no protests in the area and as the people  were coming out from the mosque, the security forces deployed outside fired pellets at them without any provocation,” Shakeela said.

“Sameer told me that as everybody was rushing for safety he too started running away. But suddenly multiple pellets hit his face and defaced it. He fell down and was dragged by the army men. Later he was beaten up with  iron rod and batons,” she said adding right side of his chest was bleeding, when he was wheeled to SMHS. He has been left with pellet scars on his body.

Shakeela said they came to know about Sameer’s condition by the people of another village.

“We were informed by the residents of Shamspora and Khudwani  that he has received pellets. We immediately rushed him to Sub-district hospital Khaimoh where from the doctors shifted him to SMHS hospital,” she said.

Sharing her experience of atrocities committed by the security forces in their area, the 40 year-old Shakeela said Sameer’s younger brother Dawood Ahmad Dar has also been victimized by the security forces last year. 

“After the killing of Hizb Commander Burhan Wani, when the entire valley was simmering, Dawood was targeted by them. They had fired two bullets in his right leg. But now thanks to almighty he has recovered,” she says with moist eyes.

Carpenter by profession, Sameer was a breadwinner for his parents, two younger brothers and five sisters.

An Ophthalmologist who operated upon him seeking anonymity told Kashmir Vision that Sameer is under the “continuous surveillance of doctors.”

“We have conducted primary emergency surgery (PES) of his eyes so far. His both the eyes are damaged. But left eye is in satisfactory condition as in comparison with right eye which is badly damaged,” the doctor said adding ‘It is premature to comment on his recovery’’.

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